Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best Reviewed Games of 2007

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3

#10

There's a feeling in the industry that gamers are quick to move on. Once the new consoles arrive, everybody is on to the next-generation with no intention of looking back. But if this list teaches us anything, it's that neither critics nor gamers were ready to give up on the PlayStation 2. Our first example of that is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, which was released on a last-generation console 21 months after the next-generation kicked off. To put it in perspective, that would be like Grand Theft Auto VI coming exclusively to the PlayStation 4 in August of 2022. It just goes to show how much life the trusty old PlayStation 2 had left in it in 2007.

Ray knew you might need a little convincing: "Popular RPGs don't usually include the "dungeon-hackiness" and A.I.-directed friends that Persona 3's battle system do, but don't let that stop you from trying it. Its style is unmatched." He concluded with a ringing endorsement and sage advice: "Don't let the words 'dating sim' scare you." Fitch agreed, raving that "the Japanese high school setting is incredibly immersive (you even have class on Saturdays!), thanks to Persona 3's minimalist (but expertly crafted) localization, which assumes knowledge of many Japanese cultural and linguistic terms. But even if you don't know Golden Week from Golden House, you'll still have a blast." Persona 3 was a sea change for the franchise, which is just one of the reasons why Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it an average score of 9.2 out of 10.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

#9

After years of settling for quirky PSP strategy games, Electronic Gaming Monthly was anxious for a proper Metal Gear Solid game. They didn't want to collect cards, battle ghost puppets or construct the cardboard Solid Eye. They just wanted to sneak around and choke out guards. That's it. Thankfully, that's exactly what Konami gave them with Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, the second (and final) PlayStation Portable game to make the best-reviewed list. This was a return to form for the franchise, and the timing was perfect. With Guns of the Patriots still two years off and Snake Eater milked to death, this was the perfect time for a game like Portable Ops.

Bryan sums it up perfectly: "While I never felt the urge to trip on Ac!d, Portable Ops is just what I wanted -- and what I never thought I wanted -- from the series on PSP. The classic sneaky gameplay from the console titles remains wonderfully intact, yet I got strangely addicted to recruiting soldiers and sending them out to collect intel, items and new members also willing to follow the cause." Scooter also loved the game and was especially impressed with the PSP functionality: "The game's varied use of the PSP's online capabilities -- snagging soldiers via WiFi hot spots or the not-yet-released GPS attachment, and both local and online WiFi multiplayer, which you can actually lose soldiers in -- and fantastic graphics make this a stunning showcase for the system despite funky controls and occasional online latency hiccups." With an average score of 9.2 out of 10, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops sneaks its way into the ninth position. It's a shame EGM never got around to reviewing Peace Walker, which is arguably the best Metal Gear game on the PSP.

Mass Effect

#8

After years of open-world mobsters, fantasy adventuring and wars from the past, we saw a big push towards science fiction in the mid-2000s. Thanks in large part to the success of games like Halo and Metroid Prime, we suddenly started to see a lot more aliens and crazy technology show up in big-budget games. In fact, I would classify half of the games on this list as sci-fi, more if you count Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. But while there may have been a lot of competition in 2007, no science fiction game was more ambition than Mass Effect. Not only was it the much-hyped new game from the developers of Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, but it was the first chapter in a proposed trilogy that promised to give the player a choice in how the story unfolds.

For John, the brilliance of Mass Effect is in the way the story unfolds around you: "Far from being a ponderous sci-fi exposition, Mass Effect boasts a dynamic, well-constructed range. The wonderfully scripted dialogue provokes everything from chuckles to moments of real angst. It's also extremely well-paced. The game introduces characters and then gives them some space to breathe before their true purpose is revealed, and the side quests, far from being tiresome, provide real insight into the themes of the central quest." Bryan, on the other hand, liked the game for a completely different reason: "For me, it all begins with the combat. While you can start and stop the action like in previous BioWare games, the system here is so much more diverse that you can choose to play Mass Effect as a run and gun shooter, use cover, and then let you're A.I. buddies bring the magic." With the editors still years away from being disappointed by the trilogy's ending, the original Mass Effect averaged an incredible 9.2 out of 10.

God of War II

#7

Believe it or not, one of Sony's biggest PlayStation 2 sequels came out four months after the release of the PlayStation 3. For many, this was the system's swan song. An epic farewell message for a seven-year-old console that managed to sell more than 150 million units. And what a way to say goodbye, because God of War II was everything you could want out of a sequel. More action, better gameplay, bigger bosses and crazier plot twists. The game is so over-the-top that you don't even bat an eye when Harry Hamlin shows up to reprise his iconic role from 1981's Clash of the Titans.

Matt couldn't get enough and described God of War II as a "back-to-back string of some of the most memorable moments in gaming history." He liked that this sequel puts you into scenes that are amplified by how well they fit with the story, and challenges anybody to come away from the game without being incredibly excited for the PlayStation 3 sequel. Michael loved the epic action and bosses, but it's what surprised him that is the most interesting part of his review: "What did surprise me, however, was that God of War II failed to impress me as much as the original. With two new weapons, I fully expected to dissect and dismember baddies in new, more brutal ways. Um, yeah ... that wasn't the case -- you don't use the Barbarian Hammer, Spear of Destiny or Blade of Olympus for any special fatalities." Thankfully, the onslaught of new baddies impressed Michael enough to overlook the brief disappointments, leading to an EGM average of 9.2 out of 10.

Gears of War

#6

This is the point in the show where I feel obligated to remind you that sometimes the best-reviewed games of the year weren't actually released in that year. Because of the time it takes to layout and then publish a magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly would not have a chance to cover the biggest games of November until their January issue. That's exactly what happened to Gears of War. Released just in time to celebrate the Xbox 360's one-year anniversary, this was Microsoft's big action game for the 2006 holiday season. It was supposed to have been vying for Game of the Year with Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts II and Advanced Warfighter in our last episode, but because of the way publishing works, here it is going up against God of War II and Mass Effect.

If it makes you feel any better, I have a hunch that plenty of gamers were still playing Gears of War well into 2007. When it came to the EGM editors, they were just happy to have a great new science-fiction franchise on the Xbox 360. Gears of War wasn't just a placeholder until Halo 3 arrived, but rather an amazing-looking shooter that quickly established itself as Microsoft's newest triple-A franchise. Andrew called it "an incredible experience throughout." "Though the story doesn't quite break free of the sci-fi cliches, Epic really captured that gritty, war-torn atmosphere. Incredible art and sound, and even small things like the camera shaking during the 'roadie run,' make it feel like you're embedded with these guys. And the graphics are so good that, in a way, you don't even notice them. You lose yourself in the game because everything looks the way it should, and that allows you to focus on shooting things up real good." With an average score of 9.5 out of 10, Gears of War is the sixth best-reviewed game of 2007. And before you ask, had EGM reviewed it one issue earlier, Gears would have been the third best-reviewed game of 2006. Once again, Marcus got screwed.

Virtua Fighter 5

#5

Once a mainstay on the best-reviewed list, fighting games largely took a backseat in the mid-2000s. In fact, it has been four long years since the last time a one-on-one beat 'em up graced the countdown. Given that the last fighting game to crack the top ten was Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution in 2004, it probably won't come as much of a surprise to learn that 2007's best fighter was none other than Virtua Fighter 5. After a rocky launch, this was one of the PlayStation 3's first must-own games and yet another great entry in one of EGM's favorite fighting franchises.

This point was not lost on Milkman, who started his review by noting that "it's interesting that no matter how many top-tier fighters show up and try to steal Virtua Fighter's lunch money, none of them do. That task is even more difficult now, because Virtua Fighter 5 kicks everyone's ass up and down the block. Sure, some fighting series like Soul Calibur and Tekken distract you with all kinds of extra modes and, uh, bowling, but VF5 rises above the pack thanks to the sheer depth of its gameplay." Bryan also loved the game, but wasn't going to let it off the hook for its shortcomings. His biggest complaint? The utter lack of online goodies: "I don't want laggy internet fights, either, but at least throw me a bone, like leaderboards or downloadable garb. I know people are bitching about the price of the PS3, but think about this, fighting fans: Considering that this $60 game essentially replaces a $40K arcade cabinet, it sure seems worth it to me." I just want to point out that this ill-conceived logic can be used against anything and falls apart the moment you think about it. It's really a bad argument against the debate over the PlayStation 3's $600 asking price. But we're not going to get into that here, because Virtua Fighter 5 averages a bone-crunching score of 9.7 out of 10, making it the best-reviewed fighting game since 2004.

Halo 3

#4

From the moment the Xbox 360 launched, the question on everybody's mind was: "When does Halo 3 come out?" For many, it was not soon enough. After Halo 2 left us dangling in 2004, people couldn't wait to finish the fight, and the three-year wait was unbearable. All that hype was only compounded by the introduction of the new hardware, which had first-person gamers speculating about what a next-generation Halo would even look like. Is it possible that this would turn out to be the greatest sequel of all time?

With all of this standing in front Halo 3, it's easy to see why some were a little letdown by the experience. Shoe puts it bluntly: "So you won't be recapturing that feeling you got when you first fought the Flood or played as the Arbiter. The huge "oh wow!" moments just aren't there. But you will still come away with some fond memories from scenes like the Scarab fight, at least one off-the-beaten-path joke conversation, and a frantic stage at the end that's clearly a throwback to something everyone loved in the first Halo." Jeremy agreed, summing it up this way: "I can't shake a bit of a been-there-done-that sensation, though. Halo 3 often feels like a bigger, more polished take on its predecessors' ideas. I want more from a grand finale than a retread of Halo's last level, more from the big set pieces than remixes of Halo 2's Scarab encounter. Once was great; three times is pushing it." Despite these complaints, all three editors agreed that the game is worth picking up for the online multiplayer alone. The Forge map editor and incredible music were highlights that helped Halo 3 earn a score of 9.7 out of 10 and wind up as the fourth best-reviewed game of 2007.

The Orange Box

#3

I think it's safe to call The Orange Box the best video game deal of 2007. Not only did this compilation allow console owners a chance to play a near-perfect port of Half-Life 2, but the collection also included the episodic sequel chapters and the multiplayer Team Fortress 2, as well as a short puzzle game that promised us cake. It's this variety that most impressed Crispin: "I could look around and see a few players skirmishing in Team Fortress 2, the most well-balanced, deepest team-based shooter on consoles. Across the room, I'd see another reviewer contorting his spatial reasoning through the mental gymnastics of Portal, a revolutionary and hilarious -- but too-short -- puzzle game that delivers an "aha!" rush every time you use your dimensional doorway gun properly. I'd see someone else engaged in a firefight in Episode one's claustrophobia-inducing environments. Meanwhile, I was having the most fun with Episode Two, which rolls out showstopping encounters and culminates with a final battle that requires serious multitasking."

It's this variety that was the lure of The Orange Box. But wait, what was that about Portal being too short? Shawn was quick to push back: "Crispin's 'too-short' Portal is enough for me -- a three-hour head trip -- no filler -- with a plot as dizzying as the downside-up puzzler's warpgate-crashing concept." He raved that the two sequel episodes are a "reflection of the fact that with five-hour games, the developer's question is 'Can we sacrifice that to the cutting room?' and not 'How can we copy and paste scenarios until we've hit a quota?'" Everybody was worried that this incredible compilation would get overshadowed by the flashier Halo 3, but with an average score of 9.8 out of 10, Gordon Freeman had no problem topping Master Chief.

The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess

#2

After a three-year break, Electronic Gaming Monthly is back to handing out perfect tens. It may have taken 25 issues and 650 games, but The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess ended up being one of two games to score the coveted 10 out of 10 in 2007. Now, before you leave an angry comment telling me that this particular Zelda game launched with the Wii in 2006, I just want you to remember that everything I said about Gears of War applies here. What makes this situation unique is that, despite it not being reviewed until the January 2007 issue, The Twilight Princess would go on to be named Electronic Gaming Monthly's 2006 Game of the Year. By all accounts, this probably should have knocked Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence off the top spot in our last episode, but because of magazine lead time, here it is going head-to-head with EGM's best game of 2007. What a mess.

Crispin gave a word of warning with his high marks: "Twilight Princess is the most rich, deep, fun and emotionally resonant game I've played all year. It's also not for everyone. It's not, for instance, for the geriatric gamers Nintendo shows waggling Wii remotes in ads." He complained that the graphics look dated and Hyrule's children look "fugly," but concluded that "no game, not even the open-world Grand Theft Auto series, give you this much variety or such a sense of anything can happen." Shane agreed, noting that "never have I seen a better argument for longer game development times. For everyone who thought we'd never see a Zelda better than Ocarina of Time, prepare to have your mind blown ... and your Wii purchase instantly validated." This was the more mature and realistic Zelda game the EGM editors had been yearning for, which may help to explain why each of them gave The Twilight Princess a perfect 10 out of 10 and named it the best game of 2006 (even though they technically reviewed it in 2007).

BioShock

#1

If you're wondering what could possibly top Electronic Gaming Monthly's 2006 Game of the Year, then meet BioShock, Electronic Gaming Monthly's 2007 Game of the Year. Okay, I'll admit, this isn't the cleanest finish to one of our countdowns, but don't let that get in the way of the brilliance that is BioShock. After years of first-person shooters geared for multiplayer deathmatches, the EGM editors couldn't wait to reveal the stories and secrets found in the underwater city of Rapture. And what an adventure it is, filled with unforgettable characters and one of the best twists in video game history.

Andrew was quick to call the game the complete package: "The visual design is stunning, from the abundant aquatic effects to the sinister shadowing and lighting. The themes are both dominant and subtle, with the familiar and lengthy 'utopia gone wrong' story that's twisted in uniquely disturbing ways, many of which require honest-to-god moral choices on your part. Do you use the standard weaponry or special plasmid powers that grand you control over the elements? Do you hack unfriendly machines and turn them into allies or just dispatch them with some explosive shot? Do you 'harvest' little girls or set them free?" Garnett also loved the game complexity: "No single part defines the game, though, and that sets BioShock apart as truly special. It combines its elements with complementary balance into a superlative whole that generates synchronicity of character, place and story. I became so completely wrapped up in it that I never got bogged down in all the freedom the game affords you; I just played it, making choices about what to do next or how to develop myself almost as second nature because I was that in tune with the experience." With glowing reviews like that, it's easy to see why BioShock averaged a rapturous 10 out of 10 and was named the best game of 2007 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.